CASTRATION OF LLAMAS AND ALPACAS

摘要

Castration may be the most common surgical procedure that large animal practitioners are called upon to perform on camelids. Castration may be performed in the standing or recumbent patient. The castration site may be left open to heal by second intention or closed for primary healing. Cryptorchidism is occasionally seen in camelids. A good protocol for standing castration is 0.1 mg/kg butorphanol IV followed by injection of local anesthetic directly into the testicles. For more intractable animals you may use 0.1 mg/kg xylazine IV in combination with 0.05 mg/kg butorphanol IV. The combination increases the chance that the animal will become recumbent. For general anesthesia with recumbent castration, 0.25mg/kg xylazine IV and 2.5 mg/kg ketamine IVusually works well. Alternatively, one may use a combination of 0.44 mg/kg xylazine and 4.0 mg/kg ketamine administered IM. IM administration may require 15 minutes to achieve recumbency. Local anesthetic in the testicles may still be used if the anesthetic plane is not adequate.